All-way stretch fabric girdle with front and back latex reinforcements



Nov. 17, 1964 E. BRADD' 3,157,133

ALL-WAY STRETCH FABRIC GIRDLE WITH FRONT AND BACK LATEX REINFORCEMENTS Filed Sept. 22, 1961 /5 50 INVENTOR.

ERNEST BRADD m BY 7 v HTTORNEY United States Patent 3,157,183 ALL-WAY STRETCH FABRIC GIRDLE WITH FRONT AND BACK LATEX REINFORCE- MENTS Ernest Eradd, Shawanese, Pa., assignor to William Gluckin & Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Sept. 22, 1961, Ser. No. 139,983 1 Claim. (Cl. 128533) This invention relates to fabric girdles formed of allway stretch materials, upon which latex reinforcements are applied in giving added support to that part of the girdle to which the reinforcement is applied. More particularly, the invention deals with a girdle of the character described having at the front and back thereof latex reinforcements, the back reinforcement being of a contour extending from the waistband portion through the small of the back and to the lower portion of the back of the wearer when the garment is in use. The upper front reinforcement extends from the waistband downwardly over the abdomen of the wearer, thus providing a girdle which will give to the wearer support at both front and rear of the garment,

Still more particularly, the invention deals with a girdle structure of the character defined made in accordance with a method disclosed in a recently filed application, namely Serial Number 137,761, filed September 13, 1961, with which this application will be copending.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate par-ts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic rear view of a girdle made according to my invention, with part of the construction broken away and in section and illustrating the girdle with the back and front thereof disposed one directly upon the other and with the garment in inverted position; and

IG. 2 is a view, similar to FIG. 1, showing the upper portion only of the front of the garment.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the upper portion only of the garment, with the two sides of the garment disposed one directly upon the other; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial section on the line 44 of FIG. 2, diagrammatically illustrating attachment of the latex reinforcement to the braid or loops of the fabric.

In the drawing, diagrammatically represents a fabric girdle of all-way stretch fabric having an upper waistband portion 11 and a lower finished or hemmed edge 12. In the illustration of the girdle, the garment is shown in an inverted position, in other words, with the normal outer surface 13 of the garment, note the cross-sectional View, on the inside; whereas, the inner surface 14 is arranged outermost in order to clearly illustrate the latex reinforcement.

In the construction shown in FIG. 1, a back reinforcement 15 of latex is employed upon the back portion of the garment, the reinforcement having a waistband portion 16 extending to a position short of the sides of the garment, as indicated at 17. Depending from the waistband portion 16 is a back supporting portion 18 primarily supporting what is generally referred to as the small of the back, the portion 18 having rounded side edges, as seen at 19. Extending downwardly from the portion 18 are depending rounded portions 20 which are arranged at the lower portion of the back of the wearer, the rounded portions being separated by a V-notch 21, which will receive the lower portion of the spine, when the garment is in use.

Turning now to FIG. 2 of the drawing, here is illustrated the front reinforcement 22 which includes a waistband portion 23 which terminates short of the sides of the garment, as indicated at 24,

In considering FIG. 3 of the drawing, the spacing between 17, 24 provides at sides of the garment non-reinforced waistband portions 25, these portions providing greater freedom of stretching of the waistband than at the waistband portions 16 and 23 of the two reinforcements 15 and 22. Extending downwardly from the waistband portion 23 is an inwardly contracted substantially V-shaped abdominal supporting portion 26, the contracted side edges 27 of which joining the waistband portion in rounded concaved edges 28. The terminal end 29 of the portion 26 terminates above the crotch of the wearer when the garment is in use.

Both reinforcing sections 15 and 22 are attached to the fabric of the girdle in the same manner and, in FIG. 4, a cross-section is shown through the reinforcement 22 by way of illustration. In this figure, it will appear that the latex of the reinforcement conforms with the braid or loops of the fabric, as diagrammatically indicated at 30 in establishing positive attachment of the reinforcement to the fabric. However, by controlling deposit of the latex on the fabric, in accordance with the method hereinbefore referred to in the application hereinbefore noted, this extension or penetration of the latex is limited to the surface 14 and will not extend to or appear on the opposed surface 13 of the garment. The sections 15 and 22 are vulcanized on the fabric in adhering the same to the surface 14 as in said method.

In FIG. 4, I have also diagrammatically illustrated at 31 the flocking on the exposed surface of the reinforcement. This flocking is illustrated by the stippling in FIGS. 2 and 3 and the flocking as applied to the reinforcement 15 as diagrammatically illustrated by the reference character 31'. The flocking provides a soft and insulated surface of the reinforced section upon the body of the wearer in the use of the garment. It will be understood, however, that other types of fabric facings can be used.

While it is preferred to arranged the reinforcement on the inner surface of the garment when in use, in some instances, the reinforcement can be disposed on the outer surface of the garment. By virtue of the fact that the reinforcement is made of latex, the reinforcement will extend or stretch in any direction with the all-way stretch fabric of the garment. However, the stretch of the fabric will be checked to a degree where the reinforcement is applied thereto and, in this manner, the added support is provided in the garment, but this support or reinforcement is yieldable and will conform to various changes in contour of the girdle in the use thereof and in different body movements.

By providing a garment of the character described having the front and back latex reinforcements, it will appear that the body of the wearer will be firmly supported from the waistband portion downwardly along the back of the wearer to a point above the buttocks with the back reinforcement and over the abdomen at the front of the garment, thus providing an extremely bracing effect upon the body which will help to support the wearer in an erect position at all times, thus avoiding and substantially eliminating fatigue or an overtired condition.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

An all-way stretch tubular fabric girdle of the character described having a waistband, latex reinforcing sections vulcanized on and adhered to the front and back of the girdle, both of said sections having waistband portions forming the major part of the waistband and closely spaced at sides of the girdle to form free extensible side 3 4 waistband portions, the back section extending down- References Cited by the Examiner wardly to provide a supporting area for the lower portion of the back of the wearer in the use of the girdle, said UNITED S TATES PATENTS front section including a downwardly extending abdominal 2106132 1/38 117-33 supporting area when the girdle is in use, the latex rein- 5 2,485,725 10/49 Francls 161 77 2,972,992 2/61 Kurzman l28547 forcing sections conforming with the contour of surfaces only of the fabric to which the sections are adhered while maintaining stretch of the reinforced areas of the girdle, LOUIS PRINCE Pnmary Exammer' and a flock facing on both of said sections. ADELE M. EAGER, Examiner. 

